Ex-president taunts Haley over military husband's absence

WASHINGTON: Things are getting exceedingly ugly between former president Donald Trump and his one-time ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, as they fight for the Republican Party presidential nomination.

At a rally on Saturday in her home turf South Carolina, which will hold primaries on Feb 24, Trump taunted Haley, asking where her husband Michael Haley was, seemingly alluding to Haley-baiters alleging that she was involved with other men. "Where's her husband? Oh, he's away... What happened to her husband? Where is he? He's gone...he knew, he knew," he jeered.

"Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about," Haley clapped back, referring to Trump avoiding military service as a young man. Michael Haley is currently deployed in Africa, having previously served in Afghanistan. At her own rally a few hours later, Haley said "Donald, if you have something to say, don't say it behind my back. Get on a debate stage and say it to my face." She also posted photos of her children in front of her tour bus in South Carolina, saying, "Running for president is hard. It's even harder to do when it feels like I'm missing my rock, Michael..."

Things have gotten increasingly testy between Trump and his one-time cabinet colleague, who is the only remaining challenger for the nomination that he has all but sewn up. But Haley has refused to throw in the towel despite trailing by over 30 points in her own home state where she was governor for two terms. She has pledged to stay in the race till Super Tuesday, March 5, when 15 states will hold primaries that will decisively tilt the nomination race. Her refusal to fold has clearly irked Trump.

Neither Trump's denigration of Haley, and of women in general, nor his disdain for military service, including calling captured soldiers "losers", appears to cost him any support from MAGA faithfuls who lap up such insults. Shortly after his latest salvo, Michael Haley himself posted a meme online with a picture of a wolf and the text: "The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack."